I Reincarnated as the Daughter of a Runaway Sub Heroine - Chapter 64
As I gulped down the milk he gave me, I thought about it. Now the situation has reversed. Hyperion was raiding the kitchen, and I was just eating what he provided.
This is really nice, isn’t it? It’s so comfortable and enjoyable to receive food made by someone else.
“You’ve never raided the kitchen at night when you were a kid?”
“No, I didn’t have any friends to move around with like you did.”
Ah, right. Yvette died when he was very young, so he must have been the only child here afterward.
I suddenly thought that this duke’s residence must have been very lonely for a child. Unlike me, he probably spent a lot of time alone here.
After giving all the remaining fruit to Rose, I asked him a question that had been on my mind.
“…I want to ask you something. You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”
“What is it?”
“It’s about Yvette…”
Since it was about his deceased sibling, I felt cautious.
“Did anyone ever ask for a portrait of Yvette from the Lam Empire?”
Hyperion stared at me intently.
“How did you know that?”
“I found out by chance.”
It was difficult to share everything about the information guild with him. I was also suspicious of the master’s identity.
“Why did they want a portrait?”
Hyperion gazed at the flickering candlelight for a moment. After letting out a soft sigh, he spoke.
“Do you know the best way to diminish the value of royalty in the Empire?”
“The way to diminish the value of royalty?”
“By mixing in other blood.”
I widened my eyes. I realized what that meant.
“Are you saying that the Empire was considering a political marriage with Yvette?”
“They believe that the more the purity of bloodline diminishes, the further away one gets from the throne.”
“But she was only six years old?”
It was understandable to think that way since it was when Yvette was alive. Hyperion nodded.
“Royalty usually engages in arranged marriages.”
“Then why Yvette specifically? There are many other noble ladies.”
“To match the status of royalty, a common noble lady wouldn’t suffice. It has to be either a royal or someone from a family of equal standing. In fact, the bride candidate that would fit their criteria best would have been Princess Casia, as she is the only direct royal descendant.”
“And?”
“But once you became the next Grand Duke, the Queen also began to strongly advocate for the princess’s claim to the throne. Excluding the princess, who could become the king, and you, who are set to be the Grand Duke, Yvette would be the only one left.”
At that moment, I realized how my father’s decision to make me the heir had truly changed my life.
If my father had simply kept me as a grand duke’s daughter, perhaps I would have been the target of that political marriage.
Of course, my father wouldn’t have willingly sent me there.
“So, did all those discussions end with Yvette’s death?”
“From what I can tell, there hasn’t been any talk since then, so that’s likely the case.”
Did the emperor plan such a thing to control his young brother at that time? It makes sense that the only healthy royal among the siblings would attract attention from an early age.
Then, did Duke Ashil Myura request a portrait to see the face of Yvette, who might have become his bride?
“Thank you for telling me.”
Hyperion stared at me intently.
“By the way, where did you hear that story?”
“I’ve been trading with an information guild recently, and when I asked for information about Duke Ashil Myura, they mentioned that.”
“You asked for information about Duke Ashil Myura? Why?”
Seeing him ask a similar question with a face like Jakar’s, I shrugged my shoulders.
“I was thinking of getting to know him better if we happen to meet. After all, he’s the de facto leader of the Empire.”
“Is that also the reason you asked your mother to invite him?”
“Did the Duchess tell you? Yes, since he happens to be visiting the Duchy of Farell, I thought I might try to meet him.”
Hyperion furrowed his brows and fell into thought for a moment. Then he said, “I see,” while petting Rose.
Eventually, he looked at me kindly and said, “Anyway, I hope everything you’re trying to do goes well.”
Part 7: Contractual Romance
The next morning, I received letters at the Grand Duke’s residence.
I had sent only one letter, but over twenty letters came back.
The senders included my father and mother, Lucas, and Jas, as well as my nurse Emma and the head maid; nearly everyone from the Duke’s residence had written.
“Did they all write one each? They’re quite enthusiastic, aren’t they?”
I chuckled and opened my mother’s letter first. As expected, it was filled with inquiries and worries about me. She asked if I was adjusting to life in the capital, if I was lonely being alone, and whether there were any people bothering me. She added that I could come back anytime if things were tough.
“I’m not the kind of person who would be bullied, Mom. There’s no need to worry.”
I grumbled as I opened my father’s letter. At the very top, it read:
[You must have read your mother’s letter first before opening this one. I know, but it’s a bit disappointing.]
Sigh. He wasn’t usually like this. His doting father syndrome seems to be getting worse.
Unlike my mother, my father quickly conveyed his regards and got straight to the point.
[Thank you for the information about Rosen’s current situation and the metal badge.
I told you to step away from that matter when you go to the capital, but you didn’t listen again. I somewhat expected this.]
Am I mistaken, or do I feel like I’m being hit by words over and over again?
[Your suggestion that there might be Republicans behind the counterfeiting operation surprised me. Upon investigation, it turns out that the emblem is indeed used secretly by a clandestine political organization.
While I still need to investigate further for accuracy, this may have been in preparation for quite some time. Perhaps this is just the beginning.]
As my father said, the counterfeiting might be just the start, and something larger and more dangerous could be looming.
[However, I believe they are not the true masterminds behind this. The Republicans lack power. It would be impossible for them to produce and circulate that much counterfeit money. The real backers must be someone else.]
This meant that they had no background to wield power within the kingdom. For a force to rise to the level of overthrowing a society, a process leading up to that point is inevitable.
The king might have nurtured another power to control the nobility, only to be overtaken by them, or there could be a simultaneous uprising from below due to severe social chaos.
However, while the ruling class’s tyranny is severe, the kingdom is not at the point of riots, nor have those with republican ideologies had the opportunity to voice their opinions officially.
Thus, my father’s prediction holds considerable weight.
By the way, if someone is helping… if the force aims to destabilize a nation…
Could it be too far-fetched to think that it might not even be an internal action within the kingdom?
[It seems that His Majesty is also taking this situation seriously. With a royal decree to capture the counterfeiters, we should see some results soon.]
At the end of the letter, there was a note that Lucas would soon be sent to Rosen to deliver the materials related to the counterfeit money.
I immediately tore open Lucas’s letter. I knew that if Jas found out I read Lucas’s letter first, he would be quite upset, but Jas’s letter would probably just be filled with nagging anyway.
[Dear Arcadia, this is Lucas. Have you become accustomed to life in Rosen?]
The letter began with a polite greeting and briefly mentioned that it seemed he would soon be going to Rosen, just as my father had said.
[I have been busy these days. I need to organize all the materials before heading to the capital. If you were here, things would have been a bit easier; I’ve been missing your presence lately.]
While Derek was the best swordsman among his peers, Lucas had a talent for strategic thinking.
My father had entrusted Lucas with many tasks, intending to raise him as a strategist. The counterfeit money issue was one of them. If he came to Rosen in person, he would undoubtedly be a great help in resolving this matter.
[I look forward to seeing you soon in Rosen. Until we meet again, I wish you health and peace.]
